Al Pacino: Actor Always Make the Most of His Part

A lot of movie stars are on the short side — Robert Redford, Sylvester Stallone, Richard Dreyfuss. Despite being only about 5′8″, Paul Newman always managed to get himself described as “lanky.” Al Pacino is one of the few who always seemed shorter than they were. (About 5′7″, I think.) Maybe that was because Pacino always seemed to be fighting uphill, having to try harder than anyone else. Even in the Godfather pictures, he was the little squirt of the family. Until he wasn’t. He wouldn’t have been Michael Corleone if he had been tall and imposing.

Being compact has proved critical to Pacino’s success. His combustibility, his pugnaciousness, his scorching sarcasm, his intelligence, and his toughness all played off against his tortured hangdog eyes, his mild speech impediment in the early films, his vincibility. Along with Jack Nicholson, Pacino is the most essential American actor of his generation, endlessly watchable even in shameless-hambone mode, pumping electrifying craziness into his lines. Al Pacino has not always been blessed with great scripts but he always shows up for work. He pursues new variations on a theme. If nothing else, he makes you smile.

About the Author

Kyle Smith

Kyle Smith is the film critic for the Wall Street Journal.

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A lot of movie stars are on the short side — Robert Redford, Sylvester Stallone, Richard Dreyfuss. Despite being only about 5′8″, Paul Newman always managed to get himself described as “lanky.” Al Pacino is one of the few who always seemed shorter than they were. (About 5′7″, I think.) Maybe that was because Pacino always seemed to be fighting uphill, having to try harder than anyone else. Even in the Godfather pictures, he was the little squirt of the family. Until he wasn’t. He wouldn’t have been Michael Corleone if he had been tall and imposing.

Being compact has proved critical to Pacino’s success. His combustibility, his pugnaciousness, his scorching sarcasm, his intelligence, and his toughness all played off against his tortured hangdog eyes, his mild speech impediment in the early films, his vincibility. Along with Jack Nicholson, Pacino is the most essential American actor of his generation, endlessly watchable even in shameless-hambone mode, pumping electrifying craziness into his lines. Al Pacino has not always been blessed with great scripts but he always shows up for work. He pursues new variations on a theme. If nothing else, he makes you smile.